Dance With Me
by Kayleen756894
Summary: Max really shouldn't. The entire reason she was at the Vortex Club party in the first place was to make sure everyone was safe, and to potentially catch Nathan Prescott in the act of drugging anyone else like Kate. But Max had been crushing on Dana since she came to Blackwell and her offer to dance, even just for a few minutes, was too tempting to ignore. Max x Dana, Wardfield.


**A/N: I have literally been working on this story for over a year and a half. I kept going back to it but just couldn't figure out how to do the ending, but then guess what? BOOM! Before the Storm comes out, all my LiS feels are back, DANA IS IN IT, and I found the inspiration to finish. I am absolutely weak for Dana Ward, I would give my soul for her, and she deserves more love. Plus her and Max are undeniably cute together and Wardfield is desperately lacking in fics, so here you go! This one's a long one, so I hope y'all enjoy! It's cute and sexy and funny and full of feels.**

 **Small AU. Max still has time powers from saving Chloe from Nathan, Kate's video still happened, but at the moment no one is aware of Jefferson's shit and the tornado is not a thing. They don't know Rachel's status or whereabouts.**

 **This also has the hottest sentence I've written in a fanfic to date, no question.**

* * *

 **Dance With Me**

Max had a headache as soon as she pulled back the curtain entrance to the Vortex Club party at the Blackwell Swimming Pool and was bombarded by a crimson glow and seizure-inducing white lights. The unmistakable stench of chlorine, sweat and booze hit her next, combining in her nostrils to create an odor akin to that of swamp water. Holding her breath and briefly squeezing her eyes shut was the only thing that kept Max from bursting back out the entrance and begging Chloe to switch places with her.

After a rather heated discussion between the two, the agreement they came to was that Max would scope the inside of the Vortex Club while Chloe would remain outside, hovering close to her truck in case she had to haul ass after anyone shady. Both girls were on the lookout for Nathan Prescott; they knew it was him that drugged Kate's drink at the last Vortex Club party, and they were on a personal mission to ensure that he wouldn't hurt anybody else tonight, or, if he did, snag the proof so his richboy ass could finally take a frosty seat in prison.

Preferably solitary confinement where he couldn't lose his shit on anyone else.

Max sighed, rubbing at her temples. She really didn't like thinking that shit about anyone, but it had truly been a crazy week. And as much as she wanted to believe that there was good in Nathan Prescott, something about him that she just didn't understand yet, it wouldn't change the fact that he drugged Kate and pulled a gun on both Chloe and Warren. He hadn't fired at Warren though.

But he did at Chloe. The sight of that bullet ripping through her best friend's stomach, red spilling through a white shirt, Chloe's beautiful body so cold and lifeless on the ground...

It made Max furious. Angrier than she had ever been. Angry enough to want to use her rewind powers for something other than good, just this one time.

The brunette took a deep breath, focusing on the pounding techno music to chase those dark thoughts far from her head. She wasn't a violent person. That simply wasn't who she was, and she refused to sink to that level. She did want revenge for Kate, and Chloe, and everyone else Nathan and his family had manipulated and hurt, but even with her powers and her evidence she knew she had to be careful with how she went about this.

Max made a quick mental checklist to calm down just a touch further. Kate was safe in a hospital room after her... incident, so she didn't have to worry about her. Max had run into Warren before entering the party so she knew he was fine, and regardless she knew Chloe would be looking out for him. Max was also sure that Chloe could handle herself and trusted that the blue haired punk would text her the moment anything was amiss. Plus they had decided to text each other every half hour to be sure that everything was alright.

So all Max had to do now was make sure nothing wrong was going on in here.

Hah. Nothing going wrong at a Vortex Club party. Yeah right.

Max opened her eyes, forcing herself to face the reality that she was here. She knew she was going to hate every moment, but embracing the effects of a pseudo-hangover the following morning would be worth it if she knew that she kept people safe here tonight.

Max weaved through a sea of writhing bodies, some stripped down to their swimsuits and others still clad in their clothes damp from drinks, pool water, and other liquids of which Max had no desire to question. Lots of people were drunk and having fun, but thankfully nothing looked too out of the ordinary yet. Nothing was going crazy and no one was hurt.

She chatted up Brooke, Alyssa, and Luke briefly, just to make sure they were okay. None of them had spotted Nathan that night, and otherwise those three were their everyday selves. Alyssa was a walking accident magnet as usual and Max had to save her from embarrassment via pool noodle; Luke was introverted but absolutely delighted to see her because she was the only one with the same mindset as him about this Vortex Club bullshit; and Brooke was her usual, aloof self, forever salty that Max agreed to go to the drive-in with Warren.

Max really had no idea why Brooke was taking that so hard. Max only accepted the invitation because Warren was one of her best friends and a movie sounded like a great way to kill time after this ridiculous week. Max had absolutely no level of romantic feelings for the guy.

Her feelings were reserved for someone else. Someone much prettier than her. Someone she stood no chance with. Someone she didn't deserve.

The mixture of those sinister thoughts with the even more sinister stench in the air suddenly produced the need to vomit so Max rushed to the bathroom. Luckily, despite the smell in there being debatably worse, at least it was quieter and helped her clear her head, in turn easing her stomach as well. Thank Dog for that, because the co-ed line up at the bathroom stalls didn't look like they were going to end anytime soon. People were definitely fucking in one of the stalls and the others had people purging their stomachs of everything they had consumed in the past twelve hours.

There was no worse time for that to happen than in the middle of a party, but, y'know, better out than in.

Max took a quick look around to make sure Nathan wasn't nearby—he wasn't—and to make sure that, other than vomiting due to too much drinking, everyone was okay. Her blue orbs shied from the boys at the urinals—the VIP members of the Vortex Club were the only ones who could access the women's washroom—but she made sure to meet the eyes of everyone else there even if they looked at her like she was mentally challenged.

They all looked fine, for the most part. Good. That meant she could leave this shithole and go back to the one from before.

Lovely.

Before she did so, though, she caught sight of Justin at the sinks. The typically laidback skater boy—she said see you later boy—looked high as a kite, but otherwise... unhappy, so Max briefly chatted him up. She and Justin never talked much but Max enjoyed his company and his style, so if she could boost his spirits by even a little bit she would feel proud of herself. She was at this party to keep people safe after all, and the unhappiest of people always made the stupidest decisions.

"Why are you here, Justin?" Max asked him, quietly enough that their conversation wouldn't be eavesdropped on easily, but loud enough that he could understand her through his haze.

His dark blue eyes travelled hers for a moment. "What else is there to do in Arcadia Bay on a Thursday night?" A goofy smile suddenly spread his lips. "Besides, Dana is here."

Max felt her heart slam against her chest. Shit. Of course Dana would be here. She was part of the Vortex Club after all, even though she had never, not once, behaved like those egotistical assholes. Dana had been kind to Max since the brunette first met her.

And Max had a crush on the cheerleader for equally as long.

No one could blame her. Many people were infatuated with Dana, and for good reason. She was smart, beautiful—no, _breathtakingly_ beautiful—and fit, her pale skin smooth and blemish free with solid muscle underneath from all her cheer practice and other athletic activities. Dana also knew how to have a good time whether in an extroverted crowd or just in a quiet group, or even a one-on-one session, something Max greatly admired. Normally with people it was one or the other, but Dana knew how to manage both fields, and the best part about it was she never had to fake who she was to get people to like her. She was patient, and helpful, and kind to absolutely everyone who deserved even the tiniest smidge of kindness. Dana was the type of person who would go out of her way to help a stranger. Hell, when Max had first come to Blackwell she felt shy and alone, and Dana was one of the first people to talk to her with a smile. She had shown her around, helped her learn everyone's name and dorm room; helped her learn the secrets of surviving at Blackwell Academy.

Yeah. Max knew she was in too deep to be able to just 'turn off' her feelings now. Of course, she always tried her best to hide them around the other girl, but Max, and everyone who knew Max, knew she was a terrible liar. If she didn't have her rewind powers, she would've gotten called out on so much shit ages ago.

Max felt her phone vibrate in her pocket—it was probably Chloe, meaning she had already spent half an hour in this disgusting hellhole—and this finally dug her out of her thoughts of Dana and she guiltily noticed that Justin was still talking to her. Max literally hadn't heard anything he'd said in the past couple of minutes.

He was probably too high to notice that she hadn't been paying attention, though, so thank Dog for small miracles. But she did manage to catch the next thing he said with a dejected sigh.

"But Dana isn't here with me. She's here with Trevor. So, yes, this party sucks ass."

Max winced, her brain arguing whether that comment should hurt her heart or not. Max would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous of Trevor, but the boy genuinely did care for Dana and treated her so well, not to mention how happy Dana had been after the two started dating. Honestly, Max couldn't remember any time she had seen Dana that happy.

And if Dana was happy, then Max was happy. Even if it did hurt a little.

"Listen, Justin," Max began slowly, "why don't you just ditch? Clearly you're not having a good time."

His dilated pupils flicked back and forth between her eyes, a blank look on his face before he finally nodded with a wide grin. "You're totally right, Mad Max. I'm just torturing myself here. I'm gonna go grab my board and grind. Just as soon as everything isn't so fuzzy." He playfully nudged her shoulder. "Let's get high together sometime, alright?"

Of course she would never actually do so—if Chloe hadn't convinced her to take a drag by this point, no way could Justin dream of doing so—but she agreed just to please him before leaving him to his own devices.

On her way out the bathroom she saw sloppy graffiti of 'Dana needs a Baby Daddy' on the wall with the 'me gusta' meme drawn beside it. Instantly Max felt the urge to vomit again. What the fuck was wrong with some people? Literally nothing in the world could justify taking time out of your day to write that on the wall about a girl you knew nothing about.

Even Max barely knew anything about Dana's pregnancy, which was fine because it wasn't her business, but Max had ensured Dana that she wouldn't judge her regardless of what happened and that she would be there for her if she ever wanted to talk about it. Clearly that was the most anyone had ever done for Dana concerning those matters, because everyone else who had heard the rumors just... wrote disgusting filth like this.

For the second time that night Max wanted to use her powers for something unholy. She wanted to go back so far that she could find out who wrote this shit, make them swear to never write it or spread anything else about Dana, and then punch them in the face to ensure they kept their word. Okay, maybe she'd have to get someone stronger, like Chloe, to do the punching part, but regardless it sounded like a plan Max would go along with if she were in a dark enough mood.

But she couldn't allow herself to keep thinking like that now. She was on a mission.

Which just reminded her that she hadn't responded yet to Chloe's text. She quickly did so, apologizing for replying late and giving her best friend the reason why before updating Chloe that she was about to head into the VIP section. _Christ_ was Max not looking forward to that experience, but if Nathan was anywhere in this building or had done any damage, the VIP section was the most likely place.

The girl acting as the gatekeeper to the VIP section refused to let Max in even though her name really was on the list. This forced Max to swallow her pride and kiss ass to Courtney, who had personally added her name to the list a few days ago, who ripped the snobby blonde a new one before granting Max access to the section of the party hidden behind a curtain and over six feet of solid muscle that could toss anyone into the pool if they tried anything funny. Max still couldn't wrap her head around Courtney being so friendly with her—it was only a few days ago that she was bullying her alongside Victoria and Taylor—and now everything was just so different.

Max wouldn't say that she liked having her name alongside all the other assholes in the Vortex Club, but she was thankful that she was making new friends and making peace with those she had considered minor antagonists.

The smell of weed and alcohol was stronger on this side of the curtain. No surprise there. A chill ran through her like a leech just from standing where she was, so she quickly moved forward so she wouldn't have to think about it. Everyone here looked fine as well, other than some flying high over the double rainbow across the sky, and there was also no sign of Nathan anywhere. Max wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. On one hand it was good to know everyone here was safe, but on the other that meant Nathan was nowhere to be found. He could be anywhere.

Max sent a quick text to Chloe, updating her on the situation, before heading inside the VIP section a little further.

She caught sight of Victoria and knew, despite how much she dreaded the thought, that she would probably have to talk to the blonde at some point tonight. She was the closest to Nathan out of everyone here, so if anyone would know his whereabouts or what he'd been up to recently, it was her. Max debated getting that conversation out of the way before she saw Logan already talking with Victoria and some other girl and Max could already feel herself seething.

That was the guy who nearly destroyed Dana's life and hurt her so much in the process. That was the guy who got Dana pregnant and abandoned her to deal with the pregnancy on her own; the potential of being forced to raise a baby on her own before she even had her diploma. What kind of sick fuck does that? Who could ever do something like that to someone as wonderful as Dana?

This guy, apparently. He didn't deserve to be called a man. Max wanted to kick him in the balls so hard that he could never hurt another woman like he did to Dana, and then rewind just so she could feel the satisfaction of his agony over and over. But she didn't, because her powers were not a toy and tools like him just weren't worth the nosebleed.

Instead, Max turned to her right and felt like her nose may start bleeding for an entirely different reason.

There was Dana, looking basically like she normally did—absolutely gorgeous—dancing with her boyfriend, Trevor, whose dance moves looked especially silly compared to the sultry swagger in Dana's hips. Max was staring before she could stop herself. Dana's dark blue skinny jeans hugged her long, thin legs in all the right places, and her shirt almost seemed even more low-cut than normal, showing a generous amount of cleavage, but Max could just be imagining that because _damn_ was her mind going nuts right now simultaneously with her hormones. Dana had her auburn hair tied in its usual ponytail, leaving her slender neck, collarbone and shoulder blades on display, her skin an alluring purple thanks to the dimmer lighting in the VIP section. Her ponytail and dangling, golden triangular earrings gently bounced with every move the girl made, causing Max's eyes to roam everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Christ, that girl was beautiful. Did she have any idea how beautiful she was?

Max shook her head, looking away from the girl that made her heart speed up. Shit, she couldn't deal with this right now. She was on a mission. She couldn't focus on the mission if she—

"Max?"

Fuck.

"Hey, Max!" She heard Dana call. Somehow she could hear the smile, the genuine happiness, in the taller girl's voice. "Come over here!"

Max bit her tongue. No escaping this one now. Shit.

She walked over to Dana and was forced to stand closer to her than Max's mental state could handle just so she could make conversation with her over the pulsing music. "Hey, Dana," Max greeted as calmly as she could, mentally patting herself on the back for keeping Dana's gaze the whole time. Max's eyes shifted to Dana's skater boyfriend. "Hey, Trevor."

The boy waved to her and gave a small smile in the middle of his silly dancing. Max couldn't judge. She knew she couldn't pull off much better.

"How are you?" Max asked, returning her attention to her crush. Dana was already looking at her and it made Max's throat dry up.

"I'm doing great Max," Dana replied with a smile, bringing her distracting, swinging hips to a halt so she could engage in a conversation that Max could actually manage. "I'm so glad you showed up. I didn't think you would. I thought the Vortex Club parties weren't your thing."

"Oh, they're definitely not," Max retorted with a nervous laugh, shyly holding onto her elbow and rubbing it through the fabric of her grey hoodie. The brunette quickly wracked her mind for something to say that wouldn't sound suspicious. She blinked, suddenly remembering about something Dana had told her in her dorm room a few days ago. "I believe you're the one who said I should 'discover myself' right, instead of hiding in my dorm? Well," she gave another nervous chuckle, "here I am."

"Here you are," Dana echoed with a smile so large Max thought she might faint from the way her stomach flipped. There was a sparkle in Dana's blue eyes, even though it was hard to see with the lighting, but Max was staring too deeply to not notice. "I'm so proud of you, Max. C'mon, you have to dance with us."

"W-What?" Max questioned quickly, too quickly, cursing herself for her stutter. She shook her head. "No, you two look like you're having fun. I wouldn't want to interrupt you."

"Interrupt?" Dana laughed good-naturedly, making Max feel even shyer. "Please, Max. Sure, the Vortex Club is basically a shitty cult now, but everyone here just wants to have a good time. This has been the worst week of my life, so tonight, like everyone else, I just want to be a carefree teenager. I want to enjoy my night. And I'd enjoy it so much more if you danced with us."

A part of Max wanted to say yes. Spending any time with Dana at all, even if Trevor was there, too, would be amazing, and Max knew this night would go by so much quicker if she said yes. But the logical part of her brain that reminded her she was on a mission—and the shy part of her that couldn't even imagine dancing with Dana—won out.

She had no chance with Dana. Her boyfriend was literally standing right there, and they were having such a good time together before Max arrived.

No point in milking the situation.

"No, no," Max said, trying to be lighthearted about the whole situation and laugh it all away. "No one should have to see me dance." That worry was a genuine one, actually. Max was not proud of her dancing skills and she did not need Dana to see her make a fool out of herself.

But Dana only laughed again, the sound filling Max's heart with a pleasant warmth. "Max, are you even seeing Trevor right now?" The cheerleader gestured to her boyfriend who was shamelessly pointing his fingers in the air and doing some strange alteration of the chicken dance. Honestly, it was adorable. In a dorky way. "Trust me, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. No one's even paying attention to us. Trevor and I are the only ones who will see you, so c'mon girl! Have some fun!"

Max wanted to. She really did. She wanted to break out of her shell. She wanted to spend time with Dana. But everything inside her was conflicted. She wasn't prepared enough for this. This week had been dipped in enough shit already, and she didn't need that to get worse.

"No," Max repeated with a laugh. "No, no," Max said again, biting away a smile as Dana playfully gripped both her wrists and alternatively pulled on them, giggling while making Max's body dance like a puppet. Damn, even the simple caress of Dana's manicured nails over her wrists was heavenly. Christ, she had it bad.

This couldn't be happening.

"No, Dana... Dana, _stop_!" Max yelled a little louder than she wanted to. Not loud enough for anyone nearby to hear them over the music, but loud enough for Dana to let go as if Max's skin burned her. The shock and hurt in the way Dana was looking at her right now made Max want to bash her skull into the nearest wall. Great fucking going, Max. Dana was just being nice and wanted to have some fun with her, and Max not only turned her away but raised her voice doing so. Max debated rewinding but she knew there was no point.

Even if Dana didn't remember what happened, the way Dana just looked at her was something Max would never forget.

"I'm sorry," Max sighed, dropping her gaze and cradling her elbow again. She really fucked up this time. "I didn't mean to yell, Dana. I'm sorry, I just... can't do this right now. Please."

It was silent for a moment after that. Max wasn't sure what to do. She didn't want to look up 'cause she was afraid Dana may shout at her the moment she did. Or worse; look at her in the way that previously tore up Max's heart.

"Trevor?" The sound of Dana's voice made Max flinch. She risked a glance upwards to see Dana looking at her boyfriend. "I'm sorry, but can you... give us a bit?"

Max blinked. Wait, what was happening exactly?

Trevor looked between the two of them for a moment before nodding. "Sure. I'm gonna go see what Justin's up to. Take all the time you need. Shoot me a text when things are good." Dana nodded in response with a smile. Trevor smiled back before gently clapping Max on the shoulder. "I don't know what's going on, but Dana talks about you all the time and has nothing but good things to say, so that already makes you a friend to me. Let's hang out sometime, okay?"

Max's nod was mechanical, automatic, as she watched Trevor walk off and leave the VIP section in search of Justin.

When she turned her head back around, it was just her and Dana. And Dana was looking directly at her.

... What was happening again?

"Max?" Her name sounded so sweet from Dana's lips, so soft and concerned, and it made the time-traveller's shoulders tremble. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, of course Dana. I..." Max found that her excuse stopped as soon as it began, barely even recollecting how she started speaking in the first place with her throat so constricted. The gentle frown Dana was giving proved the taller girl didn't believe her. No surprise there. Terrible Liar Max in the house. She had to come up with something to say to get her out of this conversation and quickly. Anything to avoid talking about her feelings.

"Just... have you seen Nathan tonight?" Max eventually asked, wincing to herself afterwards. Wow. It was gross that talking about someone who used potential date-rape drugs at his parties was easier to talk about than her own feelings.

Goddammit.

"No, thank God," Dana replied, a hand on her hip. Her expression suddenly twisted into a scowl. "Why? Is that asshole threatening you?"

"No. Well..." Max paused, chewing her bottom lip as she debated how much to say. Things were messy enough as they were and she didn't need Dana getting involved. Nothing about that would go well. "The way he's been acting has just been putting me on edge recently, and since this is his party I was worried he might do something he shouldn't. If you see him just stay clear of him, alright? Better yet, text me if you do."

"Sure Max, no problem. I don't need that little prick ruining my night anyway." Dana's gaze softened. "But I can tell something more than this is ruining the night for you."

Max parted her lips to respond but ultimately closed them when she realized she didn't have anything to say. What was she supposed to say? That she had to be on watch for any shady people at the Vortex Club party that could be spiking unattended drinks, which felt similar to trying to find the sharpest needle in a pile of other needles? That the image of her best friend's blood spilling on the bathroom tile still burned behind her eyelids? That she was able to stop that event from happening entirely, but her newfound powers gave her numerous headaches and made her scared of everything around her, even herself?

That seeing Dana's face made Max forget how to breathe? How she hated herself for even worrying about something silly like unrequited feelings when so much more was at stake here?

Of course she couldn't say anything like that. She would never be that brave.

"Listen," Dana began, shaking Max out of her thoughts, especially so when she rested a pale hand on Max's forearm. The gesture was so friendly and comforting that Max thought she might faint. Dana gestured to the bar with her head. "I'm gonna go get us some drinks. Stay right here, okay? Then we can talk about this."

Wait, what?

But before Max could even say that out loud Dana was already wandering towards the bar, a swing in her hips accented just enough that it were as if she knew Max would be watching her. Which she was.

Dana had already finished half of whatever was in her red solo cup when she found her way back to Max, the scent of fruity alcohol fresh on her breath even from the distance Max made sure was between them. "How much have you had?" Max asked.

Dana grinned, taking another long sip. Max pretended not to notice the way her throat bobbed as she drank.

"Enough to get the best buzz I've had all month," Dana replied once she lowered the cup. There was a playful twinkle in those blue eyes, but overall they were filled with warmth. "I'm not drunk though, don't worry. Drunk Dana is something only Juliet has seen and no one else ever needs to."

Damn, there was a story there. Honestly Max was very curious about it, but she knew better than to pry. Her nosiness had gotten her in enough trouble these past few days.

The auburn haired girl passed Max the bottle of Dr. Pepper in her other hand and Max was thankful for the drink as well as the distraction. Max twisted off the cap and drank deeply, savouring the burn in her throat from the carbonated beverage. After releasing a breath and twisting the cap back on, Max said with a smile, "Thanks for the soda, Dana."

Dana smiled in return and Max suddenly felt faintish again. "I know you're not a drinker, Max," Dana commented. It wasn't derogative, but rather observant, and Max felt a flattered blush start to creep up her neck. She wasn't even aware if she ever mentioned to Dana that she doesn't drink, and not only did Dana not seem to mind, she wasn't trying to force Max to drink with her, either.

She was an angel.

"Besides," Dana continued, "despite what people say, alcohol is definitely not the best thing in the world for someone when they look as upset as you."

"I-I'm not—"

"Max, please," Dana huffed, looking disappointed. That look cut through Max like a poisoned knife, the blade poised in her heart and ready to twist at any moment. "You and I both know that you're a terrible liar. I understand if whatever it is you're going through hurts to talk about, and if you don't want to say anything that's fine, but please don't lie about it. I can't handle that from you." Dana's expression suddenly turned sad. "It hurts that you don't trust me."

"That's not it!" Max rushed to explain, stepping closer to Dana and placing a hand on her arm without thinking. "That's not it," Max echoed, a little quieter. "I just..." Max looked around and gulped, suddenly remembering where she was and what she was doing. She was surrounded by Vortex Club snobs—Victoria was literally right there—and she had just gotten in Dana's personal space. Get it together, Max. Max backed a step away, huddling in on herself like she wanted to vanish right out of this party, shyly ducking her head from Dana's gaze.

Dana seemed to understand Max's body language because the cheerleader gently took Max's hand in hers and led her into a corner where the music wasn't as loud and the partygoers couldn't see them as easily. Then Dana positioned herself in a way that none of the other partiers would be able to see Max. If anyone looked over at them, a generous display of Dana's back and legs was all they would see. Max thought this gesture was incredibly sweet and it made warmth spread in her chest.

But at the same time it made her terrified, because this scenario also meant that the only person Max could now see was Dana. They were so close. Dana practically had Max pressed into the curtain wall. Dana was still holding her hand.

Max gulped. It really wasn't healthy to feel nauseous this much in the span of an hour.

"There," Dana said with a grin, "now it's just us. You don't have to worry about anyone else. Everyone's too drunk and too high to care about what we're doing anyway. The only one who's paying attention to you right now is me, so don't be afraid to let loose. Just relax, Max."

'Just relax,' she says. Christ. How was Max supposed to relax in any way, shape, or form, when Dana's blue eyes were gazing down at her as if she were a precious thing worth protecting?

"Thanks, Dana. Really. I appreciate how much you're going out of your way for me here." Max sighed. "But I'm just... not sure if I can talk about it yet. I'm sorry."

Dana shook her head. "Don't be sorry. You finally admitted that something was wrong, so I'm happy just to hear that. Not happy that you're upset, of course, but happy that you're telling me the truth now." The auburn haired girl took a hasty drink from her cup, possibly to hide the redness building in her cheeks only visible because Max was so close. Max couldn't tell if the redness was caused from Dana's little slip in speech or from the rising effects of her alcohol consumption, though. When Dana had finished off her drink she continued, "And it's okay if you don't want to talk about it yet. I get it. Really, I do." A playful smile spread Dana's lips. "So you should dance with me instead."

"What?" Max questioned, flushing immediately. Why did Dana seem so determined to have Max dance with her? Why was it so important? "No, I really shouldn't. I was serious when I said no one should have to see me dance. I'm really not good at it."

"It doesn't matter if you're good at it or not, Max!" Dana reasoned, an infectious smile still on her face. "Dancing always helps me when I'm feeling upset. It makes me feel free; like nothing can hold me down. Try it, Max. There's nothing to be afraid of. Dance like no one's watching."

"But you're watching."

Max bit her tongue. She did not fucking mean to say that.

There was a spark of... something in Dana's eyes, but Max couldn't determine what it was.

"Listen, Max," Dana started softly. "The way I see it, dancing either helps you forget about your fears, or it helps you face them." Max watched as Dana downed the last of her drink before swiping Max's unfinished soda and leaving both containers on a table. Then Dana turned and looked back at the time-traveller with a devilish grin, waving her arms and shaking her hips as she sauntered back over to Max. "So c'mon, Caulfield! Enjoy the night with me. Whether you plan to shake that booty or not, though, I plan to shake mine."

Max actually found herself giggling, way harder than she probably should've been. Probably just to distract herself so her eyes wouldn't wander down to the booty that was, indeed, shaking.

Luckily Dana started giggling as well, shuffling her body closer as she continued to dance. "Come on, Max!"

The smaller brunette worried her bottom lip between her teeth but was giggling too hard to keep it secure. Eventually under the look of Dana's sapphire eyes and her inviting voice, Max relented, pushing away her pride, or lack thereof, and awkwardly started shuffling to the thumping beat echoing off the walls.

"Yeah! There you go Max!" Dana cheered, expression beaming.

"I feel silly," Max admitted shyly through her laughter, but she continued to bounce lightly on the balls of her feet and move her hips side to side 'cause it made Dana happy.

"Don't even think about it. I'm the only one here," Dana said with a smile, said smile quickly morphing into a grin as she gently grabbed Max's hands again and tugged her arms back and forth, playing a pseudo game of tug of war in an attempt to have them dancing together. Max let the taller girl lead her along, dancing faster when her partner did, both of their laughter increasing.

Max couldn't believe it. She was actually dancing with her crush, and at a fucking Vortex Club party. She really should be looking for Nathan. She couldn't afford to waste time like this.

But the look on Dana's face right now was the brightest thing Max had seen all week, and Max wanted to be sure she memorized every detail in preparation for all her shitty days to come.

The cheerleader moved a little closer, hips thumping in time with Max's accelerated heartbeat, and Dana started swinging their arms a little wilder. Being the taller one of the duo by several inches, Dana raised one of Max's hands high in the air and attempted to twirl her. Max caught on too late to what was happening, though, and ended up tripping over her own feet.

And right into Dana's arms.

Max froze, her vision suddenly consumed by slightly perspiring skin, tinted purple thanks to the light. A floral perfume filled her nostrils, and when Max finally had the courage to look up Dana's face was right there, her lips _right there_ , and a breath of alcohol, noticeably stronger than before, wafted over Max's face. Dana looked just as shocked as Max at the little slip-up, and a little apologetic, but the warmth and friendliness in her expression never left.

Max's tongue was already tying itself in knots, her heart slamming erratically against her ribcage. She had never been this close to Dana before. She was so close she could see every little hair on her skin; every dark eyelash; every sparkle in her blue eye-shadow that would look terrible on anyone other than her. Max's blue eyes frantically manoeuvred back and forth between Dana's and she noticed the cheerleader do the same.

Max couldn't help but wonder what was going through Dana's mind right now. She'd probably never get the answer, 'cause Max was so overwhelmed by everything that happened in the past minute that she couldn't even decipher the whirlwind of thoughts in her own mind.

"D-Dana, I... I'm sorry..." Max somehow managed to choke out through her dry throat and chapped lips.

But she didn't get the chance to apologize further, because in the next instant Dana's eyes became lidded and her hands were on Max's hips, long nails absentmindedly toying with Max's hoodie.

"I'm okay with this kind of dancing, too," Dana murmured in a tone Max had never heard from the girl before. It was low, cautious, and sultry, a combination that made heat spread through Max's chest to other places. Max shuddered, noticing Dana's thumbs gently fingering her belt loops, slowly pulling Max closer to her body inch by inch.

Max gulped before she could stop herself. This... was happening. This was happening. Dana wanted to slow dance with her, and not the awkward 'leave room for Jesus' type of slow dance that everyone did at their 8th grade dances. The look in Dana's eyes—and the movement of her hands—proved Dana was aiming for the exact opposite experience here. Her eyes were still warm, and had a hint of playfulness in them, but there was... something else? Something darker, like lust.

But Max convinced herself she just imagined that.

Max had to make a decision, and fast. She really should text Chloe and update her about the situation; it'd probably been that long by now. She really couldn't afford to be dancing with Dana right now, especially so far away from other people. The whole point of Max even being at this bullshit party was to make sure no one got hurt and that Nathan Prescott didn't pull any fuckboy shit.

But as soon as her body was flush against Dana's, Max's choice was made for her. Her hands rose to rest on Dana's bare shoulders by natural instinct. She felt Dana shiver slightly under her fingertips, those blue eyes even darker as they gazed upon her now. Max bit her lip, unable to handle that gaze, so she buried her face in Dana's neck to avoid eye contact.

Dana didn't seem to mind though, using this opportunity to wrap one toned arm around Max's waist to hold her close and the other gently cradling Max's head against her, petting her short chestnut hair and occasionally massaging her scalp. Max involuntarily released a shaky breath into Dana's neck, hugging the girl tightly around her shoulders as the cheerleader gently swayed them side to side. Their dance didn't fit with the music at all and it was impossible to gain any rhythm, but Max was beyond caring about the music or even where she was at this point.

All that mattered right now was that she was dancing with Dana... and Dana wanted her here. It was Dana that tried too hard to convince her to dance and it was Dana that held onto her after Max stumbled into her arms.

Dana wanted to be close to her.

That thought made Max so red she swore her head might explode, a similar but entirely different pressure from when she abused her time powers. But, somehow, the tingles just under her skin and the warmth in her chest and the pounding of her heart far overpowered any nonsense in her brain right now.

All of it was so confusing, but Max found that she liked it. No one had ever held her like this before, not even Chloe. This was something entirely new and Max just... wanted to enjoy it. Wanted to enjoy resting her head on Dana's shoulder and feeling the girl's fingers comb through her hair.

This may never happen again, and if this was the only time she and Dana were destined to be together in any way, damn right was Max going to enjoy it.

Max stepped in even closer, held Dana even tighter, making sure there was no space between them. She noticed Dana grin softly from the corner of her eye as the ponytailed girl returned Max's embrace just as strongly. Max felt Dana's long fingers trail down her head to gently scratch the nape of her neck and Max shuddered before she could stop herself. Her shoulders stiffened and hunched up slightly at the foreign sensation before they relaxed again, pleasurable shivers running down her spine. Dana's other hand, which Max had temporarily forgotten about, snuck under Max's hoodie to softly rub against Max's waist through the thin material of her T-shirt and Max thought she might die. Dana wasn't doing anything unwanted—Max was enjoying it, quite honestly, despite her nervousness and confusion—but everything about this just seemed... far too intimate.

What they were doing right now wasn't something regular friends did. Any stranger that saw them would probably assume they were dating. But they weren't dating. They weren't... anything, really. Max could barely even say they were friends, despite how painful that was to admit. She always wanted to talk to Dana more, but she didn't want to annoy the girl. Didn't want to make a fool out of herself.

Didn't want to complicate Dana's life with her feelings. Dana recently had to go through heartbreak, abortion, her fight with Juliet... everyone she trusted basically shit on her in the span of a week. Max would rather be a blur, or a spec in the distance, in Dana's life than be added to the ever-growing list of people who had let Dana down. It hurt enough being on Chloe's version of that list.

She didn't want to hurt Dana, too.

"So, Max," Dana murmured into Max's ear, her warm breath spreading over Max's cheek and Max was hit with the scent of alcohol along with butterflies squirming in her lower tummy. "Is this helping you forget about your fears, or is this helping you face them?"

And in that moment Max realized that Dana knew. Or at least Max thought she did. About her feelings, or at least about her attraction. It was also probable that Dana was just steadily getting more drunk and just saying random shit, but again, this felt... intimate. Dana wasn't trying to lead her on or make fun of her. She was trying to help Max come out of her shell, just like she always did with everything. She was trying to tell Max that everything would be okay, regardless of the outcome.

Max was too scared to say anything. Her throat felt clogged and dry like someone had stuffed a sock down there. But that was okay, despite the unpleasantness, because Max knew she didn't have to say anything to answer Dana's question.

Swallowing her nerves, Max lifted one of her hands from Dana's shoulders, gently dragging her nails along the girl's skin until she reached the nape of her neck and began scratching, directly copying the motions that were still happening to her own neck and sending her heart in a frenzy. She felt a shiver travel through Dana's whole body and practically felt the taller girl melt against her. Dana pulled her even closer and Max felt her heart rattle inside its bone prison, threatening to burst out just so it could be closer to Dana's.

It was strange. Max had never felt so afraid and yet so safe at the same time. Max let her eyes slide closed for a moment, listening to Dana's heartbeat and inhaling her perfume and acknowledging everything this girl was making her feel at the moment.

If she told Dana how she felt... would Dana hold her like this every day? Could Dana make her feel this way every day? Was that even possible?

... Was Max a fool for even briefly considering it?

A sudden harsh vibration in her jeans caused Max to jump, the top of her head nearly striking Dana's chin. Max abruptly pulled away from Dana's hold, the mood now officially ruined, and Max turned deep red and let out a few pants, as if she had been holding her breath that entire time. Dana's rose painted lips pouted at the loss of contact. When Max tried to reply, tried to make any excuse for what just happened, whatever spell she just broke away from, she found she truly was out of breath and her twisted tongue possessed no ailment.

"I... I'm sorry," the time-controller eventually forced out, wiping her sweaty palms that had just been caressing Dana's flawless skin on her pants. When doing so she felt her phone vibrate again, making her wince as she fished it out. "It's really important that I reply to this."

Dana nodded, still looking a bit disappointed from their dance being interrupted—at least, that's what Max wanted to think—but she didn't look offended. "It's okay," Dana said. "Go ahead."

The shorter girl nodded, quickly padding in her pass-code and holding her suddenly bright phone close to eye level simply to distract herself from the beautiful girl who was still standing so close to her. The messages were from Chloe, as expected, the first one asking for an update on the situation and the second demanding to know why Max was taking so long to reply. Sapphire eyes scanned over the second text several times, trying to figure out the most appropriate way to explain that she couldn't reply earlier because her hands were occupied on a certain cheerleader's shoulders.

"Everything okay?" Dana asked, sounding genuinely concerned despite how her eyes were growing hazier and hazier.

"Yeah, it's cool," Max replied, lowering her phone a bit to get a better look at the taller girl, "don't worry about it."

But Dana's features indeed stayed worried. "Do you have to leave?"

Honestly, Max probably should. It didn't look like Nathan was present and everyone seemed well-behaved so far... for whatever that's worth at a Vortex Club party.

But Dana's voice was so small and quiet, and there was something so innocent and so heartbreaking about that question that Max felt her own heart break a little. It was a tone that Max knew she wouldn't be able to resist even if she wanted to.

"N-No," Max stumbled. "My friend's just asking me if I'm okay, that's all. I can stay for a bit longer."

Dana's expression turned brighter than the strobe lights all over the swimming hall and Max had never seen something so beautiful in her life.

"Cool, I'm glad, 'cause I'm not done dancing with you yet."

The butterflies that had taken a break in Max's belly came back full force. The shock of the statement and the sensations taking over Max's body must have shown on her face because Dana giggled.

"I'm gonna go grab another drink. Want anything?" Dana offered.

"Nah," Max declined with a shrug. "Besides, as I recall, you stole my Dr. Pepper from me before I could finish it."

A wide grin stretched Dana's pink lips apart. "Your hands were needed for other things," the cheerleader retorted with a wink before sashaying over to the bartender.

Now, Max was no expert when it came to romantic or sexual encounters of any nature, but... every part of her, even the parts of disbelief, screamed that Dana just flirted with her. Like, seriously flirted with her. Made a sexual innuendo about her hands. Sure, some people said shit like that all the time—Chloe did about once per hour—but not after the level of intimacy the two shared not five minutes ago.

Max had never been genuinely flirted with before. Not by someone of her preferred gender, anyway, and certainly not by someone that she already had the hots for. She didn't even know how she was supposed to feel.

Especially since said person already had a boyfriend. Sure, it's not like she and Dana kissed or anything—the very thought made Max's heart leap into her throat—but would Trevor be chill if he knew about how intimately they just danced together? Would Dana even tell him?

Hell, would Dana even remember about it tomorrow morning?

... It sucked, 'cause Max wasn't sure which answer to that question she preferred.

The brunette noticed Dana approaching her again so she quickly shook her head to rid herself of those poisonous thoughts and sent a quick text back to Chloe, using plenty of emoji to express that she was safe and everyone else here was safe. No Nathan or drugs or guns or innocent girls' macking on a crowd of drunk strangers. Chloe's typical reply of "NO EMOJI" lit up her phone before Dana reached her, making Max smirk as she pocketed her mobile device.

"Hey there, stranger," Dana said with a goofy smirk, taking a sip from yet _another_ cooler. "Come here often?"

Max smiled and shook her head, focussing on her amusement to distract herself from how nervous Dana's presence still made her. "Only when I'm invited," Max replied. Damn. Max wasn't sure if that comment was as smooth as butter or simply self-deprecating. Both, maybe? Wincing, Max added, "I thought you weren't planning on getting drunk."

Dana shrugged, body wobbling slightly as she brought the cup to her lips and gulped down a quarter of its contents.

"Not drunk yet. Close though." She chugged the rest of her drink and licked the remains from her lips, Max's eyes glued to every movement the wet muscle made. Dana slammed her empty cup down so hard it almost bounced off the table. "I need to be for what I'm about to do."

... Eh? What exactly did that mean?

"Oh, perfect timing."

A grin grew on Dana's face and Max followed her gaze to see Juliet and her boyfriend Zachary getting up from a couch in a darker corner of the VIP area that they had been making out on for the past twenty minutes. Max was confused, even more so when Dana gently grabbed her wrist and tugged her in the direction of the suddenly unoccupied couch.

"Uh, what are we doing?" Max asked a little anxiously.

Dana turned her head to look directly at her, this strange, mischievous, and almost nervous sparkle in her baby blue eyes. "I thought I told you I wasn't done dancing with you yet. Which is still true, by the way, in case you haven't already guessed."

"O-Okay," Max stuttered in reply, "but what does that have to do with the couch?"

Dana didn't reply this time, instead slurring out a greeting to Juliet who looked even more gone than Dana did, hanging tight onto her tall boyfriend's arm. The blonde's cloudy eyes ran Max up and down, flickering between her and Dana a few times, before a shit-eating grin that would've put Chloe to shame broke out on the reporter's face.

"Good luck, Max," Juliet whispered in her ear as she passed, offering her a sly wink before she and her boyfriend disappeared behind the curtain.

Okay, what the hell was that supposed to mean? Good luck? Good luck with what? Apparently all it took was about five seconds of Juliet looking at them, even while ridiculously high and wasted, to figure out something that Max couldn't decipher for the life of her.

When they made it to the couch Dana gently pushed on Max's shoulders, forcing the smaller girl to lower herself onto the furniture. It was still warm from its previous occupants. When Dana didn't immediately join her Max began to fidget.

"Um, aren't you going to sit, too?" Max asked shyly, gesturing to the open space next to her.

"Sure," Dana replied with hooded eyes and a sultry grin. "But not on the couch."

Huh? If not on the couch, then where?

Dana placed her hands on the couch behind Max's head and trapped Max against the couch when she sat on Max's lap, her thighs squeezing Max's, and it only took about five more seconds for Max to understand Juliet's wink and Dana's sudden enthusiasm for consuming more alcohol.

Dana wanted to give her a lap dance. Like, a fucking real one. Oh Jesus.

"D-Dana... w-what are you..." Max could barely fumble out with Dana's face and body so close to hers, her voice drying out completely when she felt Dana grind against her hips.

"Shhh," Dana purred against the shell of her ear, making a shiver travel through Max's entire diaphragm. "Dancing's about facing your fears, right Max?" The shorter girl gulped as Dana forced Max's hands onto her hips, rolling them so Max would feel every movement of her body. Then she leaned in so close that their noses were touching. "Then face them."

Max bit back a groan as Dana's breath washed hotly over her neck, Dana's thighs squeezing hers, hips swaying in her lap. She blushed cherry red, only able to keep holding onto Dana's waist because Dana's hands kept them locked there.

"N-No," Max eventually choked out, earning Dana's gaze once again. They were sparkling like little sapphires and hooded and sexy and so close and _Christ_. Max shook her head, trying to remedy the ache in her head that was steadily travelling further down her body. "D-Dana, stop, you're drunk. Do you even realize what you're doing?"

"Of course I do." The response was so immediate that Max felt any retort die in her throat. "I'm giving my shy friend Max Caulfield her very first lap dance. What better way to make sure she looks forward to partying with me again?"

Dana shifted her position, resting her weight against her side and manoeuvring Max's left leg up so she could slowly rub herself along Max's thigh. Dana moaned throatily into Max's ear, manicured nails gently scratching at the nape of Max's neck and the time-traveller felt her body tremble so violently she was surprised she didn't pass out like she normally did when her head felt this overwhelmed.

If she actually knew how to use her brain right now, she would wonder how she winded up in this situation. But with hot breath showering her neck, soft whispers in her ear more powerful than the pulsing dubstep, the stench of sweat and alcohol and sweet perfume in her nose, a body flush against hers... literally nothing mattered right now.

Nothing but Dana.

Nothing but enjoying her time with Dana and making sure Dana knew how much she enjoyed it.

When Max found the strength to open her eyes she turned her head to look at Dana, their lips almost brushing from how close they were. Suddenly, in a way, despite the sexual tension, it felt like they were slow dancing again, and Max used her hands that still occupied Dana's hips to slow down her pace. Dana seemed to catch on, not stopping her movements entirely but making them more sensual, laying more of her weight on Max's body, pulling the smaller girl closer.

Any butterflies that had left the nest of Max's lower belly had returned full force and made a home there, that hooded gaze making her forget how to breathe. But Max pushed past her shyness, past her inexperience, and lifted a hand to cup Dana's cheek. When Dana's eyes slightly widened Max realized that gentle action probably seemed more intimate than intended in this situation, and that scared Max a bit, but she didn't pull away.

She was fairly sure at this point that Dana, drunk or not, had a pretty solid idea about Max's attraction to her, and if that was true then Max needed the cheerleader to know that her feelings were genuine. That she cared about her as a person. That she wasn't interested in her just for her looks, or for popularity, or for sex, or money, and that she had no intention of ruining Dana's relationship with Trevor, which seemed to be the only good thing to happen to Dana in a long time.

There was no way she could say the words out loud, but... she really hoped Dana knew how loved she was.

After a minute or two of being locked in a stare down with those sapphire eyes, Max's heartbeat louder than the bass, Dana's face lit up with a happy grin. The cheerleader leaned forward another inch to lay a sloppy kiss on Max's cheek before her head lulled onto Max's shoulder.

"Max, you're the sweetest," Dana said, her tone joyful but her words thick with sleep. "You're the best dance partner... ever..."

"O-Okay," Max laughed awkwardly, trying to remember how to move all her limbs properly as she forced Dana into an upright position. The skin that had been blessed by Dana's lips pleasantly tingled. "You've had enough. Time to get you in bed."

"Wow," Dana giggled, her words so quiet Max could barely even hear them. "You move fast, Max. I didn't expect that from you."

Max winced, not originally noticing her poor word choice. "Not like that, silly," the time-traveller replied, quickly standing up to try and ignore her words as she dragged Dana with her. The drunk ponytailed girl leaned against her, arm over her shoulders, and Max wrapped an arm around her waist for support. It was tricky to walk like this, but Max hurried them out of the VIP section before Victoria or anyone else could comment.

Being back on this side of the party again felt weird. Not that being at a Vortex Club party was something Max would ever want to do on her Thursday nights, but that experience with Dana was... something, to say the least. Something she would never forget, and a memory she would grasp fondly if she never got to make another one with the cheerleader.

But seeing all these people, all these underage drinkers, all the drinks being spilled into the pool, all the unattended cups on the floor... she had been here for a reason. To stop Nathan from drugging anyone else. Although no one seemed to be in danger and Nathan was nowhere to be found, Max's attention had been occupied most of the evening and the party was going to continue long after she left. She needed someone on the inside to be her eyes and ears. She would ask Chloe, but she knew her best friend didn't want to be here any more than she did.

Plus Chloe was probably a little pissed at her for the late text replies. Honestly she probably got another text during the lap dance, but at the moment it was kinda impossible to check.

Seeing Trevor hanging outside the bathroom with Justin sent both relief and guilt through Max. The guy already seemed to like her because of Dana—Max really was curious what sort of things Dana had been telling him about her—so Max was pretty sure he would do this favour for her, but at the same time she barely felt like she had the right to ask it.

'Hey man. So your girlfriend just gave me a lap dance and we almost kissed several times, and while I take her home do you mind staying here for me to watch out for a potential rapist? Kay thanks!'

Max groaned. Of course she would never say that, but there was no way to word it to make herself sound like less of a scumbag.

She didn't get more time to think about it though, 'cause when Trevor noticed them he rushed over with a worried expression.

"Max, what's going on?" he asked. "Is Dana alright?"

"Yeah," Max sighed. "She just had one too many. She'll be fine."

He nodded but still looked worried and moved forward to take Dana from Max, but Max surprised herself when she held on to Dana possessively. She had no right to, but... she wanted to be the one to do this.

"I got her," Max affirmed. "I told her I'd get her home."

"But, I..." His speech stopped when his expression twisted in confliction. Max felt her heart do the same. Poor guy. He really did care for Dana and only wanted to help.

For a moment Max thought she should stop pushing her luck and just hand Dana's safety over to her boyfriend, but then Dana began to stir from her half-asleep state.

"Oh, hi, sweetie!" Dana slurred, smiling at Trevor. The boy breathed a sigh of relief and gave a small smile back. "I'm sleepy. Max, my hero here, is gonna take me to bed."

"So she can _sleep_ ," Max said firmly, panicked, trying to hold down a rising blush, especially when Dana began giggling uncontrollably.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Trevor asked directly to Dana.

The cheerleader shook her head, some auburn strands fleeing her ponytail. "I trust Max."

The time-traveller felt her heart slam against her ribcage. Those words made every last inch of skin tingle; every hair rise up. Max knew her rewind power was irrelevant for how many times those three words would repeat in her head for the rest of the evening.

"... Okay," Trevor eventually relented. "But please text me in the morning so I know everything's good."

Dana didn't reply, probably half-asleep on Max's shoulder again. The time-traveller took initiative and answered for her, "I'll make sure she does." Then she quickly added before her throat constricted from nerves, "By the way, Trevor..."

"Yeah?"

"Can you keep an eye out for Nathan Prescott for me? I haven't seen him yet but just in case he does show, it's important that I know about it."

"Uh, sure, I can do that Max." He looked a little confused at the request, but then his eyes darkened, making the normally carefree boy look like an entirely different person. "Is he causing problems for you? Is he trying to hurt you? Or Dana?"

"He's... unstable," Max decided to say, fighting off her blush as she felt Dana nuzzle into her neck. "I just don't want him hurting anyone else. And if me and none of my good friends are here on the lookout, then..."

"I get you, Max." A surprisingly bright smile lit up his face, all traces of anger gone. "Man, you really are Blackwell's hero, aren't you Max? First you save Kate from jumping, now you're making sure my girlfriend gets home safely, and you're even trying to make sure the Vortex douches are alright." He shook his head back and forth playfully. "You're pretty sick, Max. I don't have your number but I'll send Dana a text if I see anything weird."

Max nodded, a sigh of relief breaking past her lips. Good. This was good. Nathan had caused more problems for Max than she could count, but the fact that he drugged Chloe, Kate, and was probably connected to Rachel Amber's disappearance was way more info than Trevor needed to know.

"Thanks Trevor, I owe you. I'll get you something at the Two Whales sometime."

He seemed happy with that, and leaned in to kiss Dana's temple as he said his goodbyes. The sight pained Max so she hurried out of the building as quick as possible. As quick as she could on wet tiled floors with pool noodles flying every which direction and throngs of people blocking the way with their spastic dancing, anyway.

The cool air was a blessing on Max's sweaty face and Dana seemed to appreciate the temperature drop, too. The time-traveller quickly spotted Chloe's truck and the blue haired girl leaning against it having a smoke so Max headed in her direction.

Initially Chloe was concerned that Dana, who was barely conscious on Max's shoulder, had been drugged by Nathan or something, but once Max cleared up that she had simply drank too much Chloe's expected annoyance shone through. She used anger to hide how worried she was when Max took awhile to respond to her first text and didn't reply at all to the last one. Then she complained about how long Max took in that AIDs-infested party while she was stuck out here listening to Warren drunkenly whine about his feelings for Max before passing out in the back of Chloe's truck.

Max explained that she hadn't spotted Nathan anywhere, no out of the usual fucked shit was happening, and that she had a man on the inside now. And while Chloe looked both relieved and intrigued, most of her focus was on why Max hadn't responded to her texts and it didn't take a genius to link that question to the drunk girl attached to Max's hip. And Chloe was way smarter than most of the assholes in Arcadia Bay gave her credit for.

Chloe Price remembered Dana Ward. Not just from her time back at Blackwell but, apparently, because of how dreamy-eyed Max would always get when her name was brought up. Max denied such accusations, and just prayed to every god in plausible existence that Dana wouldn't recall any of Chloe's impish comments the next morning.

Max told Chloe to message her if anything weird happened in the parking lot soon, but otherwise they could call it a night. Max had promised to get Dana home safely and that's exactly what she was going to do.

Now, Dana wasn't heavy by any means, other than her surprising amount of muscle mass, but Max was quickly realizing that lugging someone akin to dead weight across campus and up a flight of stairs to her dorm room was not an experience she would like to repeat anytime soon. So she was glad she didn't drop Dana or trip or do anything that would have required a rewind. Max had enough headaches in her life and she didn't need any more.

The floor was dead quiet, which was no surprise. Would've been more surprising if someone was there, considering everyone else was still at the party. Other than Kate, of course, but she was still in the hospital. That whole... thing still shook Max at her core and she didn't want to think about it.

Dana's door was slightly ajar, which wasn't surprising. The only time it was closed was either when she was sleeping or when Juliet pulled some sort of locksmith shit out of her ass and locked Dana in her own room. Max gently kicked open the door and flicked on the light, and when Dana seemed to recognize her surroundings a dorky grin lit up her face and she flopped on her bed.

Max chuckled, doing circular exercises with her shoulder to ease the stiffness. "You doing okay there, Dana?" she asked.

The cheerleader groggily lifted her head, squinting her eyes before her face lit up again. "Ohhh, hey Max! You're still here."

Max laughed awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. I literally just got you here."

"Ah. No wonder I got here so fast."

Max shook her head, amused, before kneeling next to Dana's bed so she could be eye level with the girl. "Are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?"

"Nah, that's okay. I'm so... good right now. I never want to move," Dana said, giggling all the while. She buried her head into her pillow and attempted to adjust her blanket, but her drunk mind seemed confused that her lying on the blanket stopped her from accessing its warmth. Honestly, it was really cute.

Gently touching Dana's shoulder, Max replied, "Okay, well, have a good sleep Dana. I'll be in my dorm. Send me a text if you need anything."

Max didn't get a response but it looked like Dana had passed out so she wasn't surprised. The brunette knew she should get to her feet and head back to her dorm but something about Dana's peaceful, sleeping face kept Max locked where she was. She rested her arms on the mattress, leaning down to get a closer look in the dim lighting.

It was only now, after finally being out of Dana's attention, that Max realized how tired she was. Not just from carrying Dana here, or the exhaustion from dancing, but from just... everything. Now that she was no longer spellbound by Dana's gaze, her touch, Max felt like she could finally release the breath in her lungs. Her hands were shaking. She held them up to her face.

These hands had touched Dana. Her face, her shoulders, her hips. They felt smooth skin, silky hair, quivering muscles.

Christ.

Max bit her lip, slumping against the side of the bed. Images of the evening ran in her head over and over like a stampede, more powerful than her rewind power could ever hope to be, and her face burned in recollection.

Dana had wanted her. Genuinely wanted her. Max didn't want to get her hopes up—she forced herself to think about Trevor's smile—but even Max couldn't find evidence disproving that Dana wanted to look at her, be near her, and touch her the whole evening. Dana could have done those things with Trevor, or anyone really, but she chose to do them with Max.

That... meant something, didn't it?

Or was Dana just too plastered to care?

Max closed her eyes, unable to look at Dana's face with that thought in her mind. She didn't know if this night meant anything to Dana. Maybe she wouldn't even remember it. Maybe that would be for the best.

But it meant something to Max, and she would remember it for the rest of her life.

Dog, she was so sleepy. This night had completely exhausted her and this bed was so comfy and Dana's patterned breathing was so calming and it would be so easy... to...

* * *

Max felt the kink in her neck and the soft pounding in her head as soon as she woke up. She must have fallen asleep in a funny position, and even though she didn't drink anything at the party last night she knew that dubstep would echo in her ears all weekend. Groaning just from the thought, Max refused to move and hoped her headache would fade away.

She felt a puff against her face and froze, for a moment unsure what that was or where she was. After a moment the memories slowly came back to her and she mentally slapped herself for falling asleep in Dana's room.

Max slowly cracked open her eyes and felt her breath catch at how much closer Dana was to her now than when she fell asleep. Max quickly realized the puff she felt was Dana's heavy exhale given how the cheerleader's face was mere inches from her own.

She had felt that sensation so many times last night.

Shivering, Max pulled away just enough that she couldn't feel Dana's breath anymore, and thus she was able to release one of her own. Brain finally able to function, she immediately recognized two things; Dana was still asleep, and sunlight was pooling through her windows. It was already morning.

This wasn't exactly how Max expected a sleepover with one of her dormmates to go, but waking up to Dana's sleeping face was definitely worth the sore neck.

Fishing her phone from her pocket, Max yawned as she saw it was a little past eight in the morning and that Chloe had sent her a text shortly after she passed out. The text contained two images; one of Chloe holding a permanent marker and the other showing a passed out Warren with a dick graffitied on his forehead.

Max was glad Chloe at least had some fun last night.

Just after sending a quick 'good morning' text to Chloe, Max heard Dana begin to stir. The auburn haired girl groaned softly, face twitching as she returned to the realm of the living. Max took back that thought a moment later when Dana cursed under her breath, expression contorting in pain and discomfort as she grounded the heel of her palm against her forehead.

"Morning," Max offered lamely. Dana didn't look at her, seemingly unfazed by, or too distracted to notice, Max's continued presence.

"Water. Aspirin. On the table," Dana grumbled, lazily pointing to the middle of the room. Max would have found it adorable if the poor girl wasn't suffering.

"One hangover cure coming up," Max announced, standing up and turning around to grab the mentioned objects and passing them to Dana. The cheerleader slowly sat up, letting out a pained breath before she popped some pills and swallowed them down with a mouthful of liquid. Dana squirmed a little from the sensation, taking another sip of water to ease the ache and dehydration.

"Thanks Max," Dana said, sounding less annoyed than before and finally making eye contact with the time-traveller. Those blue eyes were tired and less bright than last night, but still made Max's heart skip a beat just like every time before. Then Dana's brow furrowed, looking slightly worried. "Were you watching over me all night?"

"Um," Max faltered, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. She scratched the back of her neck, and then stopped when she remembered how good it felt when Dana did the same to her last night. "I wouldn't put it like that. I was going to go back to my dorm but then I kinda just passed out. Sorry, that was probably rude of me."

"Not at all." Dana waved off her apology, wincing and rubbing her head again. Max wasn't surprised. Honestly, given how much Dana drank last night, Max expected this to be much worse. Knock on wood. Dana leaned a little closer, reaching out to brush Max's arm with her fingers. "I'm glad you were there for me. You were like my guardian angel all night."

Max's eyes widened, heart hammering against her ribcage. Shit. _Shit_. Dana remembered last night, didn't she? How much of it? Did she hear what Trevor said? What Chloe said? Did she remember their slow dance? The lap dance? That they almost... kissed?

Max still didn't know if she wanted Dana to remember all that or not. The brunette would never be able to explain herself if Dana asked her about any of that. How could she? How could she say that so much of what occurred between them last night was not platonic in any way and Max enjoyed every second of it? How could she say that to someone she wasn't even sure liked girls? How could she say that to the girl she loved, who already loved someone else?

Fucking dammit. Sometimes Max wished she could use her own time powers on herself just so she wouldn't have to suffer with these memories.

... She was a terrible liar. Dana had been right about that. Max couldn't even lie to herself. She could never willingly give up a moment she spent with Dana, because those moments were sacred and precious. They were something that could always make Max smile no matter her mood; could always make her hopeful even when things seemed impossible.

Dana made Max a better person, and there was no way Max could give that up.

Max was shaken from her thoughts by a loud sniffle, looking up to see tears streaming down Dana's cheeks. Max's heart suddenly felt way too heavy in her chest and she feared it would sink into the pit of her stomach.

"Dana, what happened?" Max asked, kneeling next to Dana's bed so she could get a good look at the girl. Her eyes were red and cloudy. "Are you okay?"

At first Dana didn't look at her, as if she didn't even realize that Max was still there. The cheerleader curled in on herself and emitted a low sob.

"I'm a horrible person, Max," she murmured, so quietly Max barely caught it. She almost wished she didn't because those words made no sense, none at all, yet they made Max feel so cold and overwhelmed.

"What? No, Dana. Hey," Max quickly wiped away another tear that trailed down Dana's cheek, "look at me, Dana. Please?" The time-traveller waited the few moments it took for Dana to raise her eyes, and it took everything in her to not sob herself. "What's going on? Why would you ever say that about yourself? You're wonderful."

"I'm really not, Max." Dana wobbled in place, clutching her head. Max reached out to stabilize her but felt a sting in her eyes when Dana seemed to tense from the movement. "I've heard rumours that I'm the next Rachel Amber. Apparently because I know everyone and I'm kind to everyone. But also because everyone thinks I'm a slut."

"What?" Max questioned, shocked and suddenly extremely angry. She felt a bitter taste on her tongue, like ashes, dried up and coiling like a dead worm. "Dana, no one thinks—"

" _Please_ , Max," the cheerleader replied in frustration, swiping at her tears and smearing her makeup and giving up when her efforts were useless. "The things being said about her and I are almost exactly the same. The only difference is that Rachel Amber wouldn't have had a one night stand when she was so drunk that she didn't realize the guy didn't put on a condom." Dana held onto herself, hands tightly clenching the opposite arms. Her eyes lowered to her lap and she brokenly whispered, "Rachel Amber wouldn't have let her supposed friend nearly jump off a roof."

Max was glad she was already kneeling because that sentence would have made her collapse otherwise. Even now she could feel her limbs shake slightly. Everything that happened with Kate was still a sore spot for her and she knew it was the same for Dana, too. The cheerleader had been quieter yet quicker to anger than Max had ever seen her when Max visited her after Kate's attempted suicide yesterday, like she blamed herself for what happened.

Max couldn't let Dana keep thinking that way.

"Dana, you can't blame yourself for what happened," Max said as soothingly as she could. "You weren't one of the ones bullying her. You, me, nobody could have guessed this would happen. You're Kate's friend."

"Clearly not a very good one," Dana replied bitterly. "Fuck, Max, I... I even watched that video of her with Trevor. I felt gross the whole time and I knew Kate wouldn't behave that way unless under some sort of stimulant yet I watched it anyway. It was so, so wrong. A true friend to her wouldn't have done that. Or at the very least a true friend would've made sure she was okay. I didn't." Dana hugged her knees to her chest. "I'm as bad as Victoria and the rest."

"Stop that. Now." Max's voice was so firm it even surprised herself, and clearly Dana too because her eyes widened. "The past is the past. No one can change it." Except for Max herself of course, but that was a secret Max couldn't tell her. "You can't blame yourself for the actions of others and you can't debate on what could have been different. All you can do from now on is your best going forward."

Dana sighed, rubbing at her eyes again. "I don't know how to go forward, Max. Every time I try I feel like I'm pushing others backwards."

Max shook her head, adjusting herself to sit next to Dana on the bed. "You're strong Dana. Don't look at me like that, I know you are. And I know you care, or you wouldn't be beating yourself up like this." Max held out her hand for Dana, a smile on her face. "Let's go visit Kate later, okay? I'm sure she'd love to see you. And if you want to apologize to her you can, but I'm sure she'll just laugh and say you're silly."

Dana's gaze flickered between Max's eyes and her hand before she eventually chuckled, wiped away the remains of her tears, and met Max's palm with her own. Dana interlaced their fingers and Max felt butterflies storm in her belly.

"Thanks, Max. You really have a way with words sometimes." Dana smiled at her, but there was still a distant look in her eyes. Dana continued, "The party helped me forget about Kate for a little, as awful as that sounds, but when Trevor mentioned her when we were leaving... fuck, I just couldn't get images of her on that roof out of my head. I was just too drunk to acknowledge it all. So when I woke up it just hit me like a sledgehammer. Sorry for losing it on you."

"No... no, don't be sorry," Max replied, trying to keep her voice from wavering. She was glad Dana was feeling a little better, genuinely glad, but something Dana just said had Max's heart nervously racing again.

Dana remembered Trevor simply mentioning Kate's name? Dana was fucking plastered at that point. That definitely meant...

"Are you okay, Max?" Dana asked, a worried look on her face. "You totally zoned out."

"Oh... yeah, sorry." Max bit her lip, uncertain if she should ask this but she knew it would eat her alive if she didn't. "Dana, can I ask you something?"

Probably hearing Max's anxiety, Dana frowned and shuffled closer, resting her free hand on Max's knee. "Of course, Max. What is it?"

Max gulped, her throat dry, her gaze anywhere but on Dana. "How... How much of last night do you remember?"

Dana stared at her for a moment, confused, before realization dawned on her expression. She squeezed Max's hand.

"The whole thing."

Max felt her blood run cold. She hadn't felt this scared since seeing Chloe get shot in the bathroom which was a ridiculous comparison because this was not something that should scare her this much. This wasn't even a bad thing. Not really. This meant she and Dana could talk about this. Sort things out. Figure out if they were on the same page or not with all the semi-romantic things that happened last night.

... Max would run right now if she could. But Dana was holding her hand, the one she used to rewind, and Max would never have the willpower to let go.

"... Oh," was all Max could say just under her breath, which was rapidly increasing. She tried to remain calm, but the moment she realized her palms were beginning to sweat and that Dana could probably feel it made her that more insecure. "I mean... that's good, I guess? I think? Better than being blackout drunk. N-Not that I would know, I've never had a drink in my life, but it probably—"

" _Max_."

The brunette stilled at the sound of her name, meeting Dana's gaze to view the warmest expression she'd ever seen. Dana was looking at her with understanding, with affection, with a lot of other positive things Max wasn't expecting or sure she deserved.

"I had a lot of fun last night," Dana admitted, stroking Max's thumb with her own. "In fact, that was the most fun I've had in a long time. For once I didn't have to worry about so much stupid shit. I could just break free and let loose and dance with the girl I like."

Max nodded, understanding Dana's point. "Yeah, I totally get that Dana; we all need a break some..."

... Wait.

Wowser, she must be tired, because for a second Max thought Dana said she liked her.

Max shook her head, laughing quietly to herself. Dana looked at her questionably, raising an eyebrow. Max laughed again before saying, "Sorry, I think I misheard you or something. My brain goes to some weird places in the morning."

Dana stared at her for a moment with a neutral expression, one that soon morphed into one of shame, but also admission. "Max, look, I..." Dana huffed at her lack of words before trying again. She was blushing slightly. "I did it the coward's way and was shit at showing it, but I have a thing for you. You didn't mishear me."

The brunette sat there in silence because her brain literally couldn't process what she just heard. There was no way she heard that right, but there was also no way she could mishear that twice.

But... how? Dana was with Trevor. Dana was gorgeous, and smart, and popular, and way out of her league. How could be interested in a shy geek like Max?

The panic and bewilderment must have shown on her face because Dana shuffled even closer, taking Max's hand in both of hers and giving a reassuring squeeze.

"Let me explain, okay?" Dana offered quietly, eyes searching deep into Max's. The time-traveller, even in her current state, could see the guilt, even fear, in those ocean depths. "I owe you that much."

Eventually, Max gulped and nodded. She didn't even try to speak because she knew she wouldn't be able to without transforming into a sputtering mess.

"I've known for awhile that you've liked me," Dana confessed sheepishly, making Max's heart stop. "At least I thought so, but I knew you were too shy to make the first move. And I've never been with a girl before, so to be honest I was shy to make the first move, too. But I've been curious for awhile and you're just..." Dana squeezed her hand again. "You're an angel, Max. You really are. You're kind and you're thoughtful, and you're always looking out for people. I never had to pretend to be someone I'm not around you and you always listened to me. You always cared. I'm... I'm not used to that. I wasn't really sure what I was feeling and I wanted to _be_ sure before I did anything about it. And then this whole shitty week happened and to be honest I didn't expect you to show up at the party but then there you were, and I knew I just had to go for it. I had to try. I wanted to know what it would be like to be close to you, how it would feel like to get you to be honest with your feelings in front of me. I wish I didn't need alcohol to make that step, but I did, and I got to see you be free, Max. You were truly free and open with me last night. I saw it in your eyes, Max, and from the way you were touching me. I could see how you felt, I saw how much you genuinely cared, and... I wish I didn't over-drink, because honestly I didn't want the night to end."

Max could barely hear Dana over the frantic pace of her heart; over the blood pounding in her ears like war-drums, so loud that she wouldn't be surprised if Dana could hear her body about to spontaneously combust. She was practically shutting down, but honestly who could blame her? First Dana tells her that she already knew Max had a crush on her, but then used last night as a way of expressing her own feelings and to see what it would be like to engage with Max romantically? If she could enjoy being with a girl? And that she genuinely _did_? That she enjoyed being with Max _specifically_?

Max could fucking control time and space, yet _this_ was what seemed unreal to her.

Dana raised a hand to Max's cheek, cupping the heated flesh gently and holding her in place. "You could have run away, but you didn't," Dana spoke softly, her warm gaze wandering Max's face. "You could have taken advantage of me, but you didn't. You didn't have to bring me home, but you did. You didn't have to watch over me, but you did. All of that... it really means something to me."

Max's mouth still felt like someone had stuffed a hundred cotton balls in there, making it dry and pasty, but she knew she had to say something. Dana was practically singing her praises at this point and it made Max feel so warm, like she was finally getting something right in her life, but at the same time she couldn't shake off the feeling that this wasn't something to celebrate.

"Dana... I..." Max barely managed to choke out. Dana nodded in recognition, willing Max to continue. Dana looked calm but she was blushing too, and her breathing had gotten a little faster. She was nervous too, and that actually made Max a little more stable knowing she wasn't the only one.

She might as well confess at this point. Dana already knew, but Max still felt she should say it if everything was being put out in the open anyway.

"I really do like you, Dana. A lot," Max confessed, letting out a deep breath. Saying those words was hard even though they were already known, but Dana's wide, responsive grin urged Max to continue. "You've been so helpful and nice to me since I arrived at Blackwell and I just felt so drawn to you. But you and I are in completely opposite social circles and statuses so I just didn't want to get my hopes up, you know? Enough bad shit gets spread around at Blackwell. I don't care what people say about me, but I didn't want people saying anything else about you. It makes me so angry what they're saying already."

Dana shook her head gently. "Max, we already talked a bit about that. I'm used to people talking smack by now."

"You shouldn't have to be," Max replied sharply, making Dana's eyes widen. "And that doesn't make it okay. It's your body and your choices. You should be able to do whatever you want without people being assholes about it." Max rubbed at her face, trying to dispel her sudden wave of fury. She just hated how much shit people talked about Dana. People made mistakes. People can kiss and have sex with whoever they want as long as it's consensual. Why did people have to blow everything out of proportion?

"Anyway," Max continued after a deep breath, "I wasn't planning to stay at the party long but when I ran into you... well, there was no way you were letting me leave, was there?" Max finally managed a chuckle, and Dana offered a wink in response. "And it... it was amazing, Dana. _You_ were amazing. I've never come out of my shell like that before. It was scary, but being with you made it all okay. It was just so surreal. Dancing is just so your thing so I couldn't believe you wanted to do that with me."

Dana grinned, all pink lips and white teeth. "I knew it would help. It always does for me." Dana's expression turned sultry. "Plus it was a perfect excuse to get in your personal space."

Max laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. Dog, she was sweating like crazy. "Yeah, that happened a few times, didn't it?"

Dana rested her hand on Max's knee again, rubbing gently. Judging from the look on Dana's face, the action wasn't meant to be flirty, but an act of comfort.

"I hope I didn't take things too far," Dana said, sounding a little concerned. "Even when I was that drunk I was worried the lap dance was pushing it."

Max shivered, her body suddenly remembering Dana's heat all over her, trapping her to the couch, hips grinding against hers and Dana's breath tickling her ear. Hooded, cloudy eyes looking deep into her own, lips mere inches away, an unfamiliar heat coiling low in Max's belly.

 _Focus, Max._

"It was... interesting, to say the least. Definitely nothing I've experienced before," Max replied, cheeks turning dark as she tried to shake off the memory. "It was a little fast for me, not gonna lie... but it was also hella awesome."

Dana laughed, a beautiful melody that had butterflies rampaging in Max's gut, and she looked at Max with a dazzling expression, blue eyes shining. "I'll save the next one for a special occasion then."

Next one?

Christ.

"L-Listen, Dana," Max managed to force out of her throat, desperate for a topic change in case she melted to a puddle on the spot. "I'm really glad we're talking about this—never thought this would happen, honestly, so I'm still kinda freaking—but there's something I really need to ask you about first."

Dana's expression sobered, seeming to sense the shift in Max's tone and body language. "Of course, Max. What's on your mind?"

Max bit her lip, knowing there was no way to sugar-coat this. She just had to be blunt. "What about Trevor?"

Dana hesitated for a moment, then another, for so long Max was worried that the cheerleader may get upset at her for ruining the moment. Then Dana sighed, a mystifying smile sweeping across her face.

"Trevor's a sweetie. I care for him. He's probably the best guy I've ever been with. He's been so supportive of me and my decisions." Dana chuckled. "I talked to him about you all the time. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew that I liked you before I did."

"Wait, really?" Max blurted.

"Probably. I doubt he minds, though."

Max tilted her head. "What makes you say that?"

Dana laughed quietly, soothingly, a giant smile brightening up her face. "Max, Trevor and I are in an open relationship. He already knows how good you've been to me so I guarantee he'll support this." Suddenly Dana was blushing and she hastily looked away. "I-If you wanted to be with me, I mean. No pressure."

Max's jaw fell open, not really sure how to process all this. For a moment she wondered if she fucked with time again and ended up in a different reality.

"Wait, hold on," Max said, rubbing at her eyes, willing herself to comprehend what was potentially happening right now. "So you're cool with this? And you're sure Trevor would be cool with this?"

Dana nodded. "If, y'know, we become official, then I'll tell him. And everything will be good."

Official. That word made a shiver slowly travel the entirety of Max's spine.

Max blinked, scratching her chin in thought. "So you're... poly then?"

Dana's face scrunched up, looking unsure. "I don't know. All these labels are so complicated so I usually don't bother with them." Dana took hold of both of Max's hands, rubbing them gently and meeting Max's gaze. "All I know for sure is that I like Trevor, and that I also like you, Max. And I'd love to be your girlfriend if you want to be mine."

Max couldn't look away, even when she felt like she was going to suffocate from forgetting how to breathe. She couldn't believe this was happening. What did she ever do to deserve this? Dana actually liked her and wanted to be with her. Max almost felt like crying but this was not the time or the place.

Because she had an opportunity here and she was feeling brave for perhaps the first time in her life, so she refused to pass this up.

"Can I kiss you?" Max asked softly, gaze flickering between Dana's eyes and her lips.

Dana's grin stretched from ear to ear, looking so happy, so relieved, and nodded, patiently waiting for Max to make her move.

Max bit her lip, moving to sit on her knees so she could do this with fewer problems. She'd never kissed someone before. Not really. She kissed Chloe once on a dare but that didn't really count, even though the punk's reaction was hilarious. Max took a few deep breaths, focusing on Dana's welcoming expression to help ease off her nerves.

Max wanted this. Dana wanted this. She just had to go for it. She either had to forget her fears or face them, just like Dana taught her.

Just let loose and be free.

Max gently cradled Dana's face in her hands, the cheerleader's cheeks warm and soft against her palms but still slightly damp from dried tears. If Max had the power to do so she would ensure Dana would never cry from anything but happiness ever again. There was a good reason to use her rewind if she ever needed to. But she didn't want to use it now. She wanted to make sure she got this right on the first try.

Dana closed her eyes, and with a burst of courage, Max closed the distance between them, pressing her lips tenderly against Dana's. Max felt her heart leap into her throat, her chest blossoming with warmth as she felt Dana kissing her back. Those soft lips danced across her own, guiding her through the process but never making her feel inferior. It never went beyond a gentle press and it didn't need to. Max felt Dana smile into the kiss and inch even closer and that's when she knew.

That's when Max knew she was completely in love with this girl.

Max heard the snap of a photo, opening her eyes and pulling back to see Dana holding her phone and displaying a wide grin. The cheerleader playfully shook the device back and forth until Max finally regained her senses and started sputtering.

"W-Wait," Max stammered with a bright blush, "did you just take a photo of us?"

Dana smirked, her cheeks delightfully rosy. "I needed a new background pic! Plus I was gonna send it to Trevor to prove to you everything's cool." Dana's smirk calmed to a small smile. "As long as that's okay with you."

"Um," Max coughed, wetting her lips, slightly distracted by how cute they actually both looked in that picture. Max looked way more relaxed than how she felt at the time and... _wowser_ , Dana was beautiful. "Yeah you can send it to him. I told him I'd get you to text him this morning anyway to let him know you're alright. I'd rather it stay on the down-low from everyone else right now though, if that's okay."

"In other words, don't tell Juliet." Dana laughed when Max nodded, and quickly sent the picture to her boyfriend before setting her phone down beside them. "She knows I like you too and the moment she finds out about this she definitely will be hounding you for information and promising to break your face if you fuck with me. General best friend code. I know you wouldn't do that to me Max, but you know how territorial Juliet can be."

Max nodded, barely phased. "She's got Zachary on one arm and you on the other," Max affirmed. The time-traveller couldn't blame Juliet, because Max knew she would be just as protective of Chloe. As soon as they find Rachel, Max definitely had a list of questions for her.

Dana's phone buzzed and her face lit up at Trevor's enthusiastic and supportive reply. "See? Told you it would be fine."

Max let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Okay. Okay, good. I just needed to be sure. Trevor is such a nice guy and I never would've forgiven myself if I got in between you two."

Dana frowned gently, stroking Max's arm. "Would you ever have told me if last night didn't happen?"

Max shrugged. "I don't know. Knowing me, probably not. I'm too shy for that. I didn't want to make a fool of myself or ruin our friendship. You're one of the only people that have been genuinely nice to me since I got here. I don't have a lot of friends and I didn't want to lose you."

Dana released a breathy chuckle, squeezing Max's shoulders. "You can't just sweep your feelings under the rug like that though, Max. That shit hurts. It eats you alive. Take some chances. Look at how this turned out!"

Max laughed, her cheeks heating up again, but the sensation was pleasant. "Well, I was lucky to have a crush on someone so wonderful."

It was Dana's turn to blush brightly and Max took a lot of pride in that. Max was only being truthful, not flirty, but the effect appeared to be the same.

"No one's ever just asked to kiss me like that before," Dana admitted softly, eyes falling to the bed sheets. "That was really sweet. You're like ultimate girlfriend material, you know that?"

Max felt herself tremble and toyed with one of her hoodie strings to distract herself. "I've never done this before, just so you know." Max looked away timidly. "Sorry if I don't know what I'm doing."

"Max, we've only been dating for five minutes and my cheeks are already hurting from smiling so much," Dana reassured, leaning over to peck Max's nose. "You're doing just fine."

The brunette felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, like all her insecurities and worries and guilt suddenly vanished. She looked back into Dana's shining blue eyes and was overwhelmed at how good she was actually doing. Max was so introverted and shy that she never thought she would ever get a girlfriend so actually having the girl she loved sitting across from her, holding her hands, and looking at her like she was a gift given by angels made Max actually like herself for perhaps the first time ever.

For once she wasn't letting someone down. For once she wasn't letting herself down. She was making someone happy, making them feel appreciated and validated, and thus making herself feel appreciated and validated.

She was going to make Dana happy, no matter what.

Max leaned forward again, overcome by the desire to be close to Dana, so she kissed her once more, a quick peck on the lips. Dana seemed surprised at first but then followed suit with a peck of her own, which soon turned into several kisses shared back and forth along with a string of giggles in between, until both of them were laughing so hard they had to pull away and support each other from falling off the bed.

Max was surprised at how normal this suddenly felt, like everything just made sense. Like this had been building for so long that now that it was finally here, it just felt right.

Once Max finally caught her breath, she asked, "How's your hangover faring?"

"The headache is still there," Dana revealed between giggles, "but it's not as bad as before. I actually forgot about it until now."

"My bad," Max said with a smirk, earning a playful shove from Dana. "Dog, this is so weird."

"Which part?" Dana asked, grinning slyly. "This feels like a regular Friday morning to me."

It was Max's turn to shove Dana, who only laughed in response before straightening her position again.

"You know what I mean, silly. I'm used to hearing music coming from your room in the mornings and seeing you dancing, not in here kissing you. It's messing with my morning routine."

Dana's giggles quieted down, a warm smile on her face that made Max's heart skip a beat. "I'm part of your morning routine?"

Max blushed, looking away. "I mean... um... you just get used to certain things when you live with people, you know?"

Dana nodded, both understanding and seeming to give the poor girl a break, before standing up from the bed. "Well, this can still be arranged," Dana replied, turning on her stereo at a lower volume than she usually had it most mornings. A soft guitar melody began playing, the type of indie stuff Max was weak for and practiced on her own acoustic when she found the time.

Dana turned back to Max and held out her hand. "Dance with me?"

Max's vision was warped back to last night when Dana had grabbed her hands and said those same words, the cheerleader's skin purple in the lighting and her eyes kind and inviting. She briefly heard the bass again, was blinded by strobe lights, smelt alcohol on Dana's breath as it washed over her neck and felt her hands on her waist, pulling her ever closer.

She wanted to feel that again.

Max nodded, accepting without hesitation for the first time, letting Dana pull her to her feet, and was surprised at how natural it felt to step close to Dana; how much easier it was this time to loop her arms behind Dana's neck and accept Dana's hands sliding under her hoodie to rest her hands directly on her waist.

Dana gently swayed them back and forth, just enough to be considered slow dancing. Max couldn't take her eyes off her. Somehow, even with ruined makeup and messy hair and oily cheeks and morning breath, Dana was just as remarkable as she was last night. Even more so from the way Dana was looking at her right now and how it wasn't influenced by alcohol in any way.

No one had ever looked at Max that way before; like she made someone believe in love again.

Dana began humming along to the song and somehow Max felt even more relaxed than before, melting into Dana's hold and resting her head against the cheerleader's shoulder. Dana pulled her closer, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other petting Max's hair. She listened to Dana's breathing, a slow rhythm, and Max was genuinely tired enough that she could pass out right here. Somehow the past hour had taken more out of her than the entire party. Too much emotion in too short of a time span for Max to handle.

But it was worth it. Everything had been worth it for this moment in time she got to spend with Dana. Max had been sure that everything she shared with Dana yesterday may have been the only somewhat romantic memories she got to keep, but now they had the chance to make so many more. She imagined eating breakfast with Dana at the Two Whales, walking with her on the beach, taking photos of her in the golden hour, and watching dumb scary movies on Dana's laptop in the dark, huddled close under a blanket.

Those ideas always seemed like schoolgirl fantasies, but now they had a possibility of existing, and Max had a feeling Dana would be down for such a stress-free date away from all the gossip freaks at Blackwell.

She'd sell her pitch to Dana sometime later when they weren't dancing. This was too good to give up right now. Dana was so warm and soft and... and _hers_ , that Max could barely even form coherent thoughts.

But there was one thing Max knew for sure as she felt Dana kiss her hairline.

She was definitely okay with dancing becoming part of her morning routine.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to anyone who made it the whole way through! I hope it satisfied your Wardfield desires. Reviews are always lovely and welcome! Have a good day everyone :)**


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